Piston-ring expander.



No. 855,031. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

' V 0. WINTER.

PISTON RINGEXPANDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-31. 1907.

1 flaw? Z 6' I LVVENTOR.

A TTORNE VS I No. 855,031.

UNITED sTA s PATENT OFFICE OSCAR WINTER, or ELYRTA, omo;

PISTON-RING EXPANDE'R.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 31, 1907. Serial No. 355,111.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I", OSCAR WINTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State'of ()hio, have invented a new and useful Piston-Ring Expander, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to piston ring expanders and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive tool of this character by means of which the packing rings of engine pistons and the like'm'ay be positioned on and removed from the piston more expeditiously and with less labor than heretofore. v

A further object of theinvention is to provide a packing ring expander including a Ipair mg of pivotal-1y united jaws having a member associated therewith forholding the work-engaging arms of said jaws in expanded position, said locking member being'provided with a finger piece for moving the same to released position. p 1 i A further object is to form the pivoted jaws with operating handles the longitudinal edges of which are curved laterally and adapted to overlap when the terminals are in closed position thereby to present. a smooth unobstructed gripping surface forengagement with the hand of the operator.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices so as ed claims.

to increase their utility, durability and efficiency. v

With these and other objects m'view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination-and arrangement ofparts hereinafter'fully described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may aging armsof the jaws inexpanded position. ig. 3 is 'a transverse sectlonalvl'ew taken on the'line 33 of Fig. 1 looking inthe direction .of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the handles in closed position.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings. The improved tool com rises a pair of laterally movable jaws 5Qan 6 pivo'tally united.

at 7 and each preferably formed of a single piece of flat metal havin one longitudinal edge thereof curved lateral y to forman operating handle 8. The pivoted-"aws and 6 are each provided with a latera 1y extendingarm 9 the terminal 10 of which is sharpened and'hardened for engagement with the adj a'-- cent end ofthe packing rin indic'atedat 11.

Patented ma 28, 1907'.

'The outer longitudinal e ges of the jaws 5. 1

and 6 are provided with laterally extending ears or lugs 12 and 13 to one of isriv eted or otherwise rigidly secured a" locking pin "14 having its periphery provided with a circumferential roove 15 adapted to receive theteeth ofa lo c 'ng member 16. The lockmg member 16 1s pivotally mounted at 17 on the lug 13 and is preferably in the formof a rack the teeth of which are curved or rounded at 18 so as to-permit the same to ride over the locking pin 15 when the operating handles 8 are brought together in the act of expanding the work-engaging arms.- Extending later-.

ally from the locking member 16 at the pivot point 17 is an angularly disposed arm 19 provided with a terminal eye for the reception of the adjacent end of a coiled'sprin 20, the opposite end of the coiled spring eing secured to a sta le or eye 21 carried by the movable jaw 6. twill thus be seen that the looking member is normally andyieldably. supported in engagement with the lockinpin14 therebyto cause the teeth of the ocking member to automatically en age the locking in 14 when the 0 erating andles are adusted in the act 0 expanding the packing is a means for. releasing the lockingmember fromengagement with they pin 14 said member is provided with a depending arm 22 having one edge thereof; extended later-.

ally to forma terminal finger piece 23 so that by exerting a lateral pressure against the ,finger piece 23 the free-end. of the locking member will be elevated against the tension of'the spring 20 and thus release the pivoted jaws. he work-engaging arms 9 are preferably formed with one or more transverse opemngs 24 in which the bolt or ivot pin 7 may be placed thereby reducing t distance between the Work-engaging points 10 and making the tool suitable for application to small rings.

In order to expand the ring 11 the terminal points 10 of the 'Work-engagm arms are positioned against the ends of t e ring and a lateral pressure exerted on the operating handle 8, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, thus separating the points 10 and expanding the ring so as to permit the same to be readily removed from the piston.

In order to osition the ring on-the piston the operating andles are partially drawn together' and the points 10 inserted between the adjacent ends of the packing ring, in the manner before stated. The locking member 16 is then released by pressing on the finger piece 23 thus allowing the terminals or points 10 of the work-engaging arms to gradually come together andthe ring to be positioned in the seating groove in the piston.

Attention is called to the fact that when the operating handles are inclosed position piston.

The toolmay be used for expanding contracted packing rings having theiradjacent or split ends out diagonally, square, or angular but when used for expanding rings having diagonally disposed abutting faces the latter are preferably providedwith suitable depressions for the reception of the points of the work-engaging. arms so as to prevent slipping of the same during the expanding operation.

If desired, the ring shown in Fig. 1 may also be provided with suitable recesses or depressions to receive the terminals of the work-engaging arms.

From the-foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided a strong, durable tool by means of which packing rings may be conveniently removed from or replaced in position on pistons without danger of destroying, breaking or otherwise injuring the ring or piston.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

gage the locking pin for holding the jaws in adjusted position, a spring for yieldably supporting the locking member in engagement with the pin, and a finger piece carried by the locking member for moving the same to released position.

2. A tool of the class described including pivotally united jaws each formed of a flat piece of metal having one end thereofextended laterally to form a work-engaging arm, one longitudinal edge of each jaw being curvedlaterally to form acurved bearing surface constituting an operating handle, a )in carried by one of the aws, a locking memiier pivotally mounted on the opposite jaw and provided with spaced teeth adapted to engage the pin, a finger piece carried by the locking member, and a spring interposed between the locking member and the adjacent jaw for yieldably supporting the teeth in engagement with the pin.

3. A tool of the class described including pivotally united jaws having laterally extending work-engaging arms the terminals of which are pointed, said jaws having their longitudinal edges curved laterally in op 30- site directions to form operating handles, lugs extending laterally from one longitudinal edge of each jaw, a pin secured to one of the lugs and provided with a circumferential groove, a locking member pivotally mounted on the opposite lug and provided with spaced teeth adapted to. engage the groove in the locking pin, said locking member being provided with a finger piece and having an extension )rojecting laterally at the pivot point of the locking member, and a spring one end of which is secured to the extension of the locking member and the oppo site end thereof secured to the adjacent jaw.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses:

, OSCAR WINTER Witnesses:

7.3. N. HAWK, W. C. THOMPSON. 

